INDUCED ABORTION IN BRAZIL FROM 2000 TO 2010: ESTIMATES USING ABORTION INCIDENCE COMPLICATIONS METHODOLOGY

The purpose of this paper is to present updated estimates of induced abortion in Brazil based on hospital statistics, which are available at national and regional levels. For the years 2000 to 2010, nearly hospitalizations recorded on the Hospital Information System of the Brazilian public health system (SIH-SUS) were found to be related to abortion. On this ground, the method known as AICM proposed by Singh and colleagues was applied to estimate the total incidence of abortion in Brazil, after necessary basic data adjustments. The results indicate that induced abortion rates are declining in the most populated regions of the country (except the northern region). However, the incidence of induced abortion is still high, taking into account the widespread use of contraceptive methods in the country. This indicates the existence of significant flaws in the use of contraception that need to be corrected. Other important findings relate to age: as the women's age increases, there is also an exponential increase in the number of hospitalizations for abortion in relation to the number of live births, and a decrease in abortion rates in relation to the female population in childbearing age (15-49).